British Heavy Metal band KK’s Priest have been making their way around North America in support of their latest album, The Sinner Rides Again. With them, they have brought a kick-ass lineup, including ’80s hard rock band L.A. Guns and European Thrash Metal group Burning Witches.
KK’s Priest
Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts, New York – 23 March 2024
Words And Photography: Shannon Wilk
To say it has been an epic couple of years for KK’s Priest is an understatement. The Sinner Rides Again was a superbly savage sophomore album, and following last year’s triumph at Bloodstock and an explosive UK Tour, the band were thrilled to perform their first North American tour.
The Return Of The Sinner Tour covered 14 shows, and tonight, the penultimate evening, found the band in New York, thrilling an enthusiastic crowd of Metalheads.
A screen illuminates, and an ominous voice comes over the PA. Video of each band member appears, the eerie narrator introducing each one. “This is KK’s Priest,” it says.
K.K. Downing runs up a ramp onto the platform at the back of the stage, doing whammy tricks on his flying V-style guitar. The rest of the band join him on the stage. Smoke shoots up, and the band rips into Hellfire Thunderbolt, a perfect opening song, showcasing each band member.
The band moves into their original song, One More Shot At Glory, a nod to Judas Priest’s One Shot At Glory from the Painkiller album. Guitarists K.K. Downing and A.J. Mills share a synchronised, then harmonised solo in the middle of the song.
“What’s my name,” the vocalist asks the crowd repeatedly, and they chant “RIPPER!” back. Going into the first Judas Priest tune of the night, it’s The Ripper, the song which inspired Tim ‘Ripper” Owens’ name. The duelling guitars have become a common theme, as this third song opened with said harmonising guitar part.
There is nothing more Heavy Metal than back-to-back flying Vs.
Going back to KK’s Priest original music for a moment with Reap The Whirlwind, the group shows off their old-school Heavy Metal riffage with an originality that holds its own when played in a set alongside Judas Priest material.
At this point in the set, Ripper unzips his leather vest, which reveals the L.A. Guns t-shirt he is wearing underneath, supporting the opening act.
KK’s Priest have incredible production with synced videos, smoke machines and platforms. Much of the remainder of the set was centred around Judas Priest’s songs.
K.K. Downing has created such a powerhouse of a band, with a killer bassist Tony Newton (who has produced Iron Maiden), drummer Sean Elg, face-melting shredder A.J. Mills and Tim “Ripper” Owens, a vocalist who is nothing short of mind-blowing.
Between Judas Priest covers, they threw in another of their own songs. Originally titled Brothers Of The Road, Ripper introduced this as “Sisters And Brothers Of The Road,” giving a nod to their female tourmates, Burning Witches.
The audience remained on their feet and engaged throughout the entire set, even staying for the all-original encore after the classic Breaking The Law.
As far as Heavy Metal is concerned, KK’s Priest is one of the best newly established bands coming on the scene right now, and their live show is certainly not to be missed.
